A New Tim Burton 3D Movie!

Walt Disney Pictures will be releasing a new Tim Burton animated comedy, Frankenweenie, on October 5, 2012. It’s going to be filmed in black and white and rendered in 3D.

Scoop: “Frankenweenie,” a heartwarming tale about a boy and his dog. After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life—with just a few minor adjustments. He tries to hide his home-sewn creation, but when Sparky gets out, Victor’s fellow students, teachers and the entire town all learn that getting a new “leash on life” can be monstrous.

The Small Houses of Great Artists is showing at the Dallas Arboretum from March 3rd through December 22nd

Building around the theme, ‘It’s A Work of Art’, five local architects have partnered with Hoebeke Builders to create theSmall Houses of Great Artists exhibit of playhouses among the 66-acre garden of the Dallas Arboretum. Appealing to both children and adults, these houses reflect the location and work of well-known artists Georgia O’Keefe, Vincent Van Gogh, Georges Seurat, Pablo Picasso and Claude Monet. Scheduled to open with the first day of the Arboretum’s nationally-acclaimed festival, Dallas Blooms, on March 3, the Small Houses of Great Artists exhibit will remain on display through December 31, 2012. Website: http://dallasarboretum.org/.

Dallas Blooms Festival at Dallas Arboretum from March 3rd through April 8

This year marks the 28th anniversary of the Dallas Arboretum’s nationally acclaimed floral festival Dallas Blooms, presented by Capital One Bank. The festival begins March 3 and continues through April 8. Dallas Blooms features 500,000 spring blooming bulbs including tulips, daffodils, Dutch Iris and hyacinths, in addition to 100,000 pansies, violas, poppies and thousands of other spring-blooming annuals and perennials. During the festival, over 100 Cherry Blossom trees bloom for a ten day period. Then the finale of this spring celebration is the mass flowering of the garden’s collection of 6,000 azaleas that bloom through the end of April.

As part of Dallas Blooms – ‘It’s a Work of Art’, the Dallas Arboretum also launches its Small Houses of Great Artists exhibit built and designed by Bob Hoebeke of Hoebeke Builders, Mona Crider of LaFoofaraw, and 4 other Dallas-area architects. The exhibit will open to the public during Dallas Blooms and will run through December 31, 2012.

Capital One Bank’s “Buy One Get One Free Tuesdays” will offer discount coupons available at any Capital One Bank location. Additionally, AT&T Senior Citizen Thursdays will offer admission tickets for $11.00 and a 20% discount at the Hoffman Family Gift Store to those 65 and over. $1 off admission tickets are available at all Tom Thumb stores.

Event Details:
Saturday, February 25, 2012 at Cowboys Stadium. Starts at 7pm
Party in the Pits 2:30PM to 5:30PM; Pit Passes available at participating MetroPCS locations from 2/3/12 through 2/24/12 while supplies last.

Tickets
Ticket prices are: $45, $40, $35, $30 with a limited number of Total Access Passes available for $140. All kids’ seats are half price. According to the Ticketmaster website, you can ask for the “Family Section: Non-alcoholic family fun!” for an alcohol-free family atmosphere!

This Weekend at the Dallas Museum of Art

The Dallas Museum of Art’s Autism Awareness Family Celebrations provide a safe, comfortable way to introduce the Jean Paul Gaultier’s fashions regularly grace the runway and the red carpet, but throughout his career he also stepped into the role of costume designer for film. Please join us on the closing weekend of the exhibition The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk for a collection of films about, and costumed by, Jean Paul Gaultier.
Horchow Auditorium
Viewer discretion is advised due to adult content and language found in some of the films which are specified below.

Les Falbalas de Jean Paul Gaultier(2004)
Friday, February 10
4:00 p.m., Horchow Auditorium
Combining interviews with Jean Paul Gaultier, commentary by those close to him, and footage from family films, French filmmaker Tonie Marshall reveals the designer’s personal and professional world. In French with English subtitles. This film is not rated (59 min.).

The City of Lost Children (1995)
Friday, February 10
6:00 p.m., Horchow Auditorium
Costumed by Jean Paul Gaultier and set in a world where Cyclops, Strongmen, and other carnival characters navigate a treacherous society, one man is determined to save the children being kidnapped for their dreams by a scientist bound to steal them in hopes of living forever. In French with English subtitles. This film is rated R (112 min.).

Madonna’s Truth or Dare
Friday, February 10
9:00 p.m., Horchow Auditorium
Jean Paul Gaultier was the fashion designer for Madonna’s 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour, and first-time filmmaker Alek Keshisian was allowed complete access, both on stage and backstage, during the tour. The result is Truth or Dare, a fascinating look at one of contemporary music’s true phenomena. This film is rated R (118 min.). Viewer discretion is advised due to brief nudity and strong language.

For a 3–5 year old and a favorite grown-up! Adults and young children will work together to look at works of art, read a related story in the galleries, and do an art-making activity in the studio. Taught by Museum education staff. Class size limited to fifteen pairs. C3, FULL

Studio Creations
February 11, 2012; 1:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Explore works in the Mark Manders: Parallel Occurrences/Documented Assignments exhibition and be inspired to create your own sculptural installation in the studio.
C3, Art Studio, Free with general admission

Jean Paul Gaultier Film ShowcaseFebruary 10, 2012

The Dallas Museum of Art’s Autism Awareness Family Celebrations provide a safe, comfortable way to introduce the Jean Paul Gaultier’s fashions regularly grace the runway and the red carpet, but throughout his career he also stepped into the role of costume designer for film. Please join us on the closing weekend of the exhibition The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk for a collection of films about, and costumed by, Jean Paul Gaultier.
Horchow Auditorium
Viewer discretion is advised due to adult content and language found in some of the films which are specified below.

Jean Paul Gaultier: The Day Before
Saturday, February 11
4:00 p.m., Horchow Auditorium

Granting journalists access behind the scenes of the fashion world, The Day Before presents the intensity, stress, anxiety, humor, and joy of the thirty-six hours before a major fashion show. In French with English subtitles. This film is not rated (52 min.).

The Fifth Element
Saturday, February 11
6:00 p.m., Horchow Auditorium

From the streets of New York to distant planets, the strange universe of the 23rd century is dependent on the discovery of the fifth element. Starring Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, and Milla Jovovich with costumes by Jean Paul Gaultier. This film is rated PG-13 (126 min.).

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover (1989)
Saturday, February 11
9:00 p.m., Horchow Auditorium

Peter Greenaway’s extravagance in cinematography is matched only by the costumes of Jean Paul Gaultier in this lavish film. Starring Oscar winner Helen Mirren, Michael Gambon, and Tim Roth, this film tells the story of love and marriage gone terribly awry over dinner. This film is rated NC-17 (124 min.). Viewer discretion is strongly advised due to nudity, strong language, and adult situations. IDs will be checked for entry to screening.

Studio Creations
February 12, 2012; 1:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Explore works in the Mark Manders: Parallel Occurrences/Documented Assignments exhibition and be inspired to create your own sculptural installation in the studio.
C3, Art Studio, Free with general admission

Collection Connections
February 12, 2012; 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. Take an in-depth look at a different work of art each month. A trained volunteer will be in the galleries with engaging materials for all ages. Olowe of Ise, Level 3, Free with general admission

The Secret Life of Girls opens this weekend at the Dallas Children’s Theater and runs through February 26th.

The Secret Life of Girls is an exploration of the intense period of early adolescence when girls jockey for position amongst themselves. The play follows Abby, a middle school girl who aspires to play on the volleyball team. When Stephanie, the volleyball team captain and the most popular girl in school, begins to spread rumors that Abby isn’t good enough, all the other girls suddenly agree. Even the coach and a team mom enable the girls’ negative behavior. Abby persists in her intent to play, and at the first game, serves the winning point. Abby suddenly becomes a key player among the “in” crowd, but eventually is yet again labeled an outsider. She falls into a deep depression.

Abby’s mom is desperately concerned, but unable to make contact with her daughter. Meanwhile, what is causing Stephanie to spread such malicious rumors about others and behave so cruelly? Is she, perhaps, suffering too?

Nancy Schaeffer, DCT’s Education Director and director of the play, says, “This play is about a specific group of girls, but in revealing this specific situation it speaks to the universal consequences that bullying anywhere can create. This gives us an opportunity to open up a conversation.”

Ms. Daugherty adds, “I’m not a psychologist, and I’m not claiming to know the answer, but I’m opening a window to show what’s there and asking audiences to take a hard look at what they see.” She does, however, suggest one solution, which is to name the problem. “It’s bullying. And it has consequences. The Secret Life of Girls can expose and challenge this destructive behavior.”

The Secret Life of Girls is a dramatic family event with an insightful dialogue following every performance facilitated by health professionals such as Dr. Susan Sugerman of Girls to Women Health and Wellness, and representatives from The Family Place’s Be Project.

There is going to be a special guest on opening night, Friday, February 10th. Fort Worth City Councilman Joel Burns will discuss his experience with teen bullying in the post show facilitated dialogue.

Dallas Children’s Theater presents The Secret Life of Girls, February 10 – 26, 2012 at the Rosewood Center for Family Arts. Don’t miss The Secret Life of Girls and see why young people so desperately need to reinforce the best in themselves and others. Visit www.dct.org for more info. or to purchase your tickets.

Enjoyed by teens and adults – not suitable for young children due to mature subject matter and language. (Recommended for age 12 and up).

When we went to see the Planet Shark exhibit at the Museum of Nature and Science a few weeks ago, there was a nice, life size display of a variety of sharks against one wall. The biggest we saw was the great white shark, but the giant whale shark that washed ashore in Karachi today (Feb 7th) is HUGE compared to that one!

Apparently this whale shark is about 40 feet long and about 6 feet in diameter. It was spotted about 10 days ago just of the coast of Karachi and washed ashore today where it had to be hoisted up by three canes.

Local residents bid on the shark and it was sold for 1.7 million rupees (about $18,758 US dollars). The whale shark is hunted for its meat, oil, and fins, etc.